County: Meath Site name: ST JOHN’S/FRIARPARK/IFFERNOCK
Sites and Monuments Record No.: ME036-049 Licence number: 04E1492
Author: Melanie McQuade, Margaret Gowen & Co. Ltd.
Site type: No archaeology found
Period/Dating: N/A
ITM: E 681689m, N 756085m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.548338, -6.767326
Monitoring was undertaken of the excavation of a gas pipeline along the southern side of the Dublin road to the east of Trim, Co. Meath. A section of the pipeline passes through the zone of archaeological potential for the deserted medieval village of Newtown Trim. The pipeline measured 440m in total length and was inserted into a mechanically excavated trench, which was 4.8m wide and 0.75m deep. Along the west of the pipeline route drilling was carried out to facilitate the insertion of the pipe opposite two road crossings. The drill shafts were 2m by 1m and drilling progressed under the road.
The eastern end of the pipeline was constructed through a green area immediately north of a recently constructed housing estate; the ground had previously been reduced to subsoil or bedrock and as a result no stratigraphy was exposed. The section of pipeline which ran opposite the medieval priory of St John was excavated through made ground, where the stratigraphy comprised 0.7m of imported topsoil overlying subsoil. No original stratigraphy was encountered in the drill shafts.
27 Merrion Square, Dublin 2
